


I prayed, at first, a little Girl

by middlemarch



Category: Poldark (TV 2015)
Genre: Childbirth, F/M, Marriage, Names, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-23 00:28:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11391588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/middlemarch/pseuds/middlemarch
Summary: She meant to do well by this child.





	I prayed, at first, a little Girl

Her labor had been quick, “disgracefully so, missus!” Prudie had pronounced, scarcely enough time to get into the house so there’d be no talk the fairies had brought the child to the cabbage patch, but it meant the baby was far prettier than either Julia or Jeremy had been; her head was perfectly round and there’d been no bruising, no swelling around her eyes. Demelza thought it was the baby’s remarkable beauty that kept Ross from any dispute over the name she’d chosen. She’d not wanted anything that spoke of his family or hers, no Mary or Grace, no virtue like Verity had been saddled with, Honor or Constance and the narrowed eyes of the congregation as to whether she lived up to it. She’d not pick a saint’s name, not even Crewenna of the parish church, and she would not have another name that began with J, as if she’d try to replace her darling Julia with this new daughter, as if one love could take the place of another that was lost. She’d thought on it, on her rambles with Jeremy and gazing out over the cove after he were abed. She could not imagine what Ross would want, not anymore, and so she’d decided to choose only for herself. She’d hoped for a boy, to call Branok, clever as a crow and dark as his father, but she’d borne a girl. Clowance was the St. Aubyn family seat, older than the Poldarks, older than the Carnes, a grand pile set beautifully upon the land. The name meant quality and age, it meant being beyond reproach, it meant the beauty that came with security. None would gainsay Clowance Poldark, nor ever be so inclined. The lace bonnet she wore made her look like a little peony and she grasped her father’s finger in her fist, watching him with dark eyes, expecting the world. Demelza knew from the look on Ross’s face he’d give it and gladly.

**Author's Note:**

> So, that name-- Clowance, what a mouthful! And all I can find is that it is the St. Aubyn family seat, so I tried to come up with a reason for Demelza to choose it. The parish church in Crown is dedicated to St. Crewenna and Branok means "raven, crow" in Welsh. The title is from Emily Dickinson.


End file.
